What do you want in your yellow box?

The holidays are upon us, faster than ever this year with Thanksgiving being so late and Hanukkah being so early. It's hard to believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away.

I had a relative ask me the other day, do people really give bras as Christmas gifts?  And I smiled and realized that while the answer was a resounding yes, it is also so much more than that.  To see a yellow box under your Christmas tree means that besides what lovely thing is about to be unwrapped, there is also a smile, a treat, a twinkle in the eye, a gasp of anticipation ... essentially the yellow box is also full of feeling. 

Whether it is a bra and panty set, a robe, cozy pajamas or a pair of Paris Tights, the SOL Girl who gets a yellow box is getting something thoughtfully picked out for her from one of her favorite stores, wrapped and given with love.  I remember one lucky gal last year who came in with the message from her husband "wrap yourself in SOL." She went home with lots of yellow boxes that day!  

A gift from SOL is more than a bra, or a pj set; it exudes a touch of the SOL Girl's personality. It can spark a smile or a squeal, provide glamour and inspire confidence. All that, wrapped up in a little yellow box! Talk about the ultimate gift!  

We hope this year your holidays are amazing and that you wake up Christmas morning with a yellow box under your tree.

xoxo,

Cindy

THANK YOU to all of our amazing SOL Girls and Guys!

THANK YOU to everyone who shopped our Customer Appreciation Sale! Every year it is fun to meet new and old customers alike and think about just how long we've been doing this!  It is REMARKABLE just how long we've known some of you and we love getting updates on your lives.  And to all the first time SOL Girls who shopped this week, WELCOME to SOL!  We are so happy to meet you and have you part of the SOL family!

As we make notes for how we can impove for next year, we'll do what we can to have 65 degree weather every day again!

xoxo,
Cindy

Savvy Tips for the SOL Sale Shopper.

SOL’s Customer Appreciation Sale is FAST approaching! Don’t get me wrong – SOL appreciates its customers 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day but with this sale, we really get to show our SOL Girls (and their significant others!) how much we appreciate each of you.

2013 Customer Appreciation Sale

November 6th - November 16th

- including Sunday, November 10th from 10-6pm - 

Our BEST sale of the year has been extended to 11 days. Yes, 11. Why is it our best sale? EVERYTHING is 20% off. Everything. That's right, everything is on sale!  During our Customer Appreciation Sale, your entire purchase is 20% off. And you could save on current, just-arrived gorgeous new merchandise, too.  

This is YOUR sale.  It's 20% OFF everything YOU want.

Daisy bras: 20% off. Every style. Every color – Including the new Blue Bijou that has just the right amount of classy Swarovski crystal bling. 

Lise Charmel:  Straight from France and utterly irresistible. 20% off.

Aubade: 20% off. Feeling sexy?  Aubade is just the ticket!  

 Cozy-chic Natori sleepwear: 20% off.

 Even SOL’s famous Le Bourget Paris Tights: 20% off!

Don't forget the boys this year!  SAXX is also on sale for 20% off! It's perfect time to stuff your hubbie's stocking with some underwear!

I could literally go on for pages.

Never been to a SOL Customer Appreciation Sale? Fear not!  I called a few of our professional SOL sale shoppers and asked them for some tips and tricks when it comes to shopping the big sale. 

So here they are: SOL Sale Secrets from our Savvy SOL Shoppers ...

Lauren: They always say this on their website, but it's true. I never pay for parking when I go to SOL! Besides having "the girls" taken care of, my car is too. Run in for a token, and you're set without worrying about parking tickets!  But beware not to park in the Garbarini lot next to the coffee shop!  They are quick with the tow trucks so it's not worth parking there even for a minute!

Joy: Get on the waiting list! The wait is never super long but getting on the list for a fitter as soon as you get to SOL is a definite time saver. Even if I think I'm just going to pick up some PJs, I sign up just in case I find a little fancy fancy from Aubade!

Marianne:  Take a friend. My BFF recommends things that I wouldn't choose for myself, but turn out to be my favorites!

Katie: Did you know you can place a phone order during the sale and still get your 20% off? I travel a lot for work and found this out last year. I just spent a few minutes on the phone with Anna, she packaged up everything I wanted and by the time I got home on the weekend, it was on my front porch. Like magic, I tell you.  (want the number to call:  303-394-1060).

Ali: Go more than once! I always see things the second time that I can't believe I missed on my first visit. 

Haley: I always plan ahead! I cruise the website first, then go to the store a couple of days before the sale, and then I make a list! I also make a separate list for my hubby –

that way, I know I'll get exactly what I want for Christmas and he'll save 20%.

And don't forget: keep an eye on our Facebook page for contests, info, and more during the sale!

xoxo,

Cindy

SOL's "It" Item for the Season

Back in October of 1997 when SOL opened, we needed to find a great gift for men to buy their sweetie. The cute cami and panty set was quickly named the "It" item. When the first ad for the Annie set from Cosabella was published in 5280 magazine the phone rang off the hook and guys walked in the door with the ad in hand.

SOL's "It" Item, Circa 1997.  Cosabella's Annie Camisole

I love selling a gift that SOL Girls love to receive and their man loves seeing on them. We always make the gift a floral lace (not geometric) that is comfy and easy to size. Over the years we have had loads of different "It" items from Cosabella and Natori but last year we were in a bind because no one had made something that would work for us. Well, genius struck while we were in Paris sharing lunch with Mariela from Eberjey and the Rosina was born. Eberjey was using the lace in another collection that I thought would make a gorgeous camisole and chemise for SOL. Eberjey's design team agreed and the Rosina became SOL's "It" item and was carried exclusively by SOL.

The Rosina was so successful last year we are doing the styles again with a twist! No gal should be without one!  This year SOL Girls can enjoy the camisole, panty, or chemise in black, turquoise, or plum.

Eberjey invited me to choose the custom colors and I chose them to match up with the Ready-to-Wear outfits that are on trend and you're already wearing. I suggest wearing the chemise peeking out from under the hem of dresses or the cami adding a lace touch at the neck line of sweaters.

Have fun with them, even try layering them together. I always think a little lace can make any outfit just a bit more fun!

xoxo

Cindy

Our Friend. Steven Adams.

It is with heavy hearts that we share that on September 22, 2013 we lost a very special, creative, tenacious, artist and friend! Steven Adams, SOL’s first photographer, and co-founder of the Morgan Adam’s foundation passed away from cancer. He guided Cindy and Jeanie in their early creative endeavors. It was with Steven that SOL's first advertisements, the signature black and white "It" items, were created. 

To learn more about our amazing friend and force or to donate to his Endowment fund for the Morgan Adams Foundation, click here 

 
We will miss him dearly. 

XOXO,

Cindy

Cindy's Breast Surgery Tips & Advice

When I think of all the Sol Girls I have helped over the years, the gals I have offered the most advice and support have been the ones that have gone through some type of breast surgery.  I am always struck by the varied outcomes depending on the surgeon and the amount of research put forth.  I hope some of my information will help when contemplating an upcoming surgery.  I will touch on mastectomies& reconstructions, implants and reductions.

I feel lucky that over the 20 odd years of fitting bras, I have met some amazing gals that have gone through breast cancer and removal of tumors.  The first thing we have learned together is to do your homework.  Interview at least 3 surgeons before making a decision.  In most cases the surgery can be put off for at least a week or more to give you time to determine which doctor will be most compatible with your personality and has the best skills to suit your needs.  The most successful tip I'd like to share is to consider having a double mastectomy even if you only have cancer or a tumor in one breast.  More times than I can count I have had gals chose the double mastectomy come back and tell me that their doctor found cancer in the second breast. By having a double mastectomy she was saved the need to go back under the knife.  I've also found it can be a bunch easier to get back to feeling whole again when both sides match and fit easily into your pretty bras.

The next topic I want to chat about is implants. I think it is super important to be clear on the size you WANT to wear AFTER the surgery.  Because surgeons do not base the implant size on actual bra sizing (they base it on CCs), you could choose what seems like a small implant (350cc) but because you are a 32 band size,  you end up being a 32E not a 34C.  I know it all sounds complicated but it isn't if you come in and work with your fitter prior to the appointment. We will set you up with bras so you can show your surgeon what size you want to be.

Lastly, every Sol Girl I have ever helped in regards to a reduction wishes she would have done it years ago!  My advice here is to spend time talking to the surgeon about what size would be balanced for your body type.  Now I know if you have been lugging around a pair of 38Gs for your entire life, your first request will be a small C cup.  Chances are a full D cup will suit you better.  Most gals lives change after the surgery.  I remember one girl saying she was shocked the first time she could run across the street without holding her boobs.  Good times!!!

No matter the surgery, I urge every gal to talk to as many surgeons as you can to make sure you bond with them.  You will have tons of questions and want to feel comfortable with them.  You want to feel confident that the doctor understands your request.  If I or my fitters can't fully answer all your questions we have a list of Sol Girls that have gone through every surgery imaginable and are happy to share experiences or advice. Here is a short video again of Jackie talking about how SOL helped her with advice when she found out she needed to have breast surgery.  

My goal is for every Sol Girl having breast surgery is to have as positive an experience as possible.   Call or email anytime!!

xoxo,

Cindy

Celebrate Fashion, 2013

I just received my September issue of Vogue in the mail yesterday, which to me signifies that Celebrate Fashion is right around the corner. Formerly known as FNO (Fashion's Night Out) in Cherry Creek North, it is the second year this fashion event is happening in the district. It is a night of community, celebrations, and of course, fashion. Celebrate Fashion involves fun events at various

stores throughout the district from 5-7pm and then a fashion show at Fillmore Plaza starting at 8pm. As SOL's Art Director, it is magic for me to see the vision I had for the looks of the fashion show transfer from paper to real life!

SOL will be kicking off the evening at 5pm with our super cute DJ, Helen who will be spinning classic songs from female artists of the past three decades. We will also be raffling off a $300 SOL Shopping Spree and providing delicious concoctions from Little Black Dress Vodka.

The fashion gates on Fillmore Plaza open at 7pm and should you choose to purchase a ticket (the in-store events are free, but the tickets for the Fashion Show start at $60), you will be hobnobbing with Denver's fashion elite and tasting some of the delicious food that the neighborhood has to offer. The ambiance is chic and the energy is alive as everyone awaits the first dimming of the lights that lets you know the show is about to begin. For more information on tickets, CLICK HERE.

The runway portion of the night starts at 8pm on Fillmore Plaza and if you missed it last year, I would highly suggest making sure you don't make the same mistake twice. I was extremely impressed with the level of production last year and I cannot wait to see what Cherry Creek North puts together for this years show! It still gives me chills when I think about the lights going down on Fillmore Plaza and the anticipation I had waiting for our first model to walk out. My favorite part of the night had to be when Cindy and Jeanie came up to me after the show saying that they felt like they were at  a fashion show in Paris. Success! CLICK HERE  to watch last year's show.

For this year's show, I was inspired by Pantone's 2013 fall fashion palette, Poison Ivy (think Uma Thurman in Batman) and Babylon. What does this look like you ask? Well, there is only one way to find out...come to the show! And a little added bonus, we are featuring a male model in our segment.

So grab your go-to fashion buds, get dolled up and make a night of it.

In the words of the almighty Heidi Klum, "See you on the runway"!

xoxo,

Lindsey